Emperors Court: A Fantastic Lunch at Renaissance Mumbai
The Emperors Court Restaurant, as the name suggests, offers a fine dining experience with most tables overlooking Powai Lake.
Emperor’s Court, Renaissance’s Oriental specialities restaurant, invites you to romance Mumbai. Especially if you come around the lunch hour! During my stay at Renaissance Mumbai, I was fortunate, that I, not only had the opportunity to immerse in a food-loving culture, but also the opportunity to engage with Chef Cham Hun who exhibited Asia’s ever-evolving culinary congruence on the plate.
The Emperor’s Court Restaurant, as the name suggests, offers a fine dining experience with most tables overlooking Powai Lake. The breathtaking views left me speechless for the whole of my stay. Multiple rounds of dry Martinis, timely service, delicious cuisine, and ‘very’ friendly personnel rounded out the experience.
Chef Cham Hun opted to introduce me to a variety of Oriental flavours cooked to perfection. The three-course set meal began with a Chicken Hot and Sour soup that was well balanced in terms of spice and sourness.
The aromatic crispy lotus stem, prawns salt and pepper, Chong Qing chicken, and Edamame SuiMui (classic Chinese dumplings) were the delectable array of appetisers served. The crispy lotus stem was a pleasant surprise – Magnificent caramelised crunch with toasted sesame dusting!
The main course was also a flavour explosion! The set menu, which put me at the whim of the chef, was a huge hit with me. Only when you put your confidence in the process will you be able to taste flavours as you’ve never tasted before. For the main course, delicacies such as chilli bean scallops, Kung Bao Chicken, and Chinese green were served with simple Yangchow fried rice and stir fry noodles that go with any sauce. The incredibly irresistible ‘Kung Bao’ chicken was cooked to crisp, and juicy perfection, while the chilli bean scallops added a new twist to the classic menu. Overall, each meal was inventive, modern, and showcased a striking fusion of Asian culinary traditions.
You’d be slipshod if you skipped over the remaining menu, which is, by all accounts, a whirlwind of Asia’s regional cuisines. However, it was the dessert from the third course, that blew my mind! The apparent winner was this gorgeous version of traditional deep-fried ice cream topped with dark chocolate. To thrill the tongue, this overabundance of delicacy featured a medley of ingredients as well as Chef Cham Hun’s polished presentation talents.
Expect a plethora of intriguing textures that will equally appeal to modernists and traditionalists. Furthermore, having a meal at the Emperor’s Court means that Chef Ham Sun and the kitchen will go to great lengths to produce your favourite meal using only locally sourced products prepared uniquely. This is why this is Mumbai’s greatest Oriental restaurant, as well as my personal favourite.
